It’s time to confront the truth about effects of betting

When the world came together several years ago to control smoking, it was painful for stakeholders, but it has borne fruit. Statistics indicate that the prevalence of smoking has drastically reduced in almost all countries. In some cases, the decline over a period of ten years has been as big as 25 per cent. What is even more interesting is that the fall in number of smokers has been highest among teens and minors. It means that, just by controlling access to cigarettes and public smoking, the number of young people lured into this dangerous habit has fallen significantly. In some countries, such as Sweden, daily smoking of tobacco decreased to only 12.5 per cent of the population. This is quite significant for a nation that once had up to 50 per cent per cent of its population puffing smoke.

The critical lesson here is that, addictive behaviours can be controlled and significantly reduced if a society is determined. It is a fallacy that human beings are inherently evil and will always find ways to pursue the wrong path. When addictive products are placed beyond reach, the majority will naturally find other more beneficial ways to use their time and resources. On the other hand, when evil is accessible, majority of us will easily follow our sinful nature. That is why families, communities and nations that care about their people, usually take steps to place addictive substances beyond ordinary reach, especially for children and youth.